Part 2

The Cubans had mined the roads with dynamite, which they exploded as the main body of the Spaniards passed over.

During the confusion and fright that followed, the insurgents fell upon the troops, killing many, and finally putting the whole force to flight.

The second engagement was in the Province of Havana, where the Cubans played another of their old tricks, and led the Spaniards into a trap they had prepared for them.

The Spaniards met a small force of Cubans, which retreated before them. They followed hotly, until suddenly the fleeing insurgents turned and attacked them, and before the Spaniards had time to make out what this meant, they were also attacked vigorously from the rear, and found they had been again entrapped by the enemy.

The fight lasted five hours, and then the Spaniards were obliged to retreat.

We spoke, a few weeks ago, of the port of Banes which the insurgents had secured in Santiago de Cuba. It is said that four cruisers and several gunboats have been ordered there to retake it from the Cubans.

Many people have criticised General Gomez for not gathering his forces together to fight one big battle which shall decide the war.

The General has written a letter explaining his reasons for fighting the war in the way he is doing.

He says that the Spanish force is so much larger and better armed than his own, that he could not hope to win a pitched battle.

It is his opinion that the only way to fight the Spaniards with success is constantly to worry them with small bodies of men, and waste the Spanish money in keeping up the army until finally they cannot continue the war any longer.

He feels sure of success in the end.

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General Miles, of the United States army, has made a trip to Sandy Hook, to look at a new method of defence that has just been designed for our coast-line.

This consists of a concrete wall twenty feet thick, against which is a huge embankment of sand.

This invention is intended to protect our forts from the terrible shot fired by the modern guns. As we told you the other day, these guns fire heavy shot which will pierce through such strong walls that the old methods of defence are of little use.

Under these circumstances, in considering the kind of coast defence we would make, it became necessary to find something that would resist these powerful guns.

It was thought that an embankment of sand, placed in front of the walls of the fort, would lessen the force of the shot, and render it almost harmless before it could reach the wall, so a small fort was built as an experiment.

The result proved to be exactly what the designer had supposed it would be.

Three guns of different power were tried on the bank, and fired at short range.

It was found that the sand-bank was an ideal defence.

The heavy shots ploughed into the bank, and, meeting the great resistance of the sand, were turned out of their course, and forced upward to the top of the sand-pile, without having reached the concrete wall at all.

The test was considered very satisfactory, especially as such fortifications can be very easily made all along the coast, and at a very small expense.

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Permission has been granted by the President for General Miles, the commanding general of our army, to go to Greece and study the war there, and on his way back to visit all the other European nations and observe their armies. He will make a report to the War Department on his return.

He expected to sail on May 6th.

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There has been a change in the Ministers who govern Greece. The angry people demanded the change after the retreat from Larissa.

M. Delyannis resigned his position as Prime Minister, and M. Ralli, the leader of the Opposition, was chosen in his place.

M. Ralli declared that he was able to save his country, and that he would do so. His brave words encouraged the despondent Athenians, and he became the hero of the hour.

He stated that all the trouble had arisen because the army needed thorough reorganizing, and that as soon as he had taken the oath of office, he would go to the army, strive to give the soldiers fresh courage, and make the changes that he considered necessary.

M. Ralli has long been a very important man in Greek politics. His party has been opposed to that of the King, and he has never hesitated to speak his mind when he thought things were not being properly conducted by the King's party.

Seven years ago he called attention to the condition of the army, which he said needed many changes if it were to be useful in time of war.

His words passed unheeded at that time. Now that he is in power, it is to be hoped that his work of reorganizing will not come too late to do any good.

M. Delyannis, the former Premier, was not willing to resign his position when the King asked him to do so, but when he found that the people were in such a state of excitement that a change was necessary, he gave up his charge.

He has behaved very nobly since then.

It was feared that he might be unfriendly to M. Ralli, and do all he could to hamper the new government, but, instead, he sent word to the new Prime Minister that though they belong to different political parties, they are one in their desire to help their beloved country, and that he will therefore do everything in his power to assist.

The new Ministry came into office on Thursday, April 29th, and on Sunday, May 2d, two of the members were at Pharsala, reviewing the troops, and finding out just what the needs of the army were.

While these events were going on in Athens, many things were happening at the seat of war.

After the Turks had secured Larissa, they advanced upon the town of Volo, a seaport on the Gulf of Volo (see THE GREAT ROUND WORLD war map).

This city the Turks captured without much resistance, the soldiers giving up their arms.

The loss of Volo was another great blow to Greece, because it was the port to which all the troops, war material, and food for the Thessalian army were sent.

The military roads in Greece are very few, and as the waterways are so many and so good, most of the transporting is done by water. Now that they can no longer use the port of Volo, the Greeks will find it much more difficult to feed and care for their army.

While the Greeks were still bemoaning their losses, news was brought of their army's great victory at Velestino.

This town lies at the junction of a railroad which connects Larissa, Volo, and Pharsala. It is marked on your map.

Here the Greeks made a stand, and, after a fight which lasted for two days, were victorious.

This success has put fresh heart into the nation; especially as the fall of Larissa and the news that the army in Epirus had fallen back on Arta, and given up the hope of taking Janina when it was almost in its grasp, had sadly disheartened the Greeks.

M. Ralli has decided not to listen to any suggestions about making terms with Turkey and bringing the war to a close. Instead, he has called on all Greeks capable of bearing arms to join the army and fight for their country.

This policy does not quite please the Powers.

Turkey is becoming a little too strong for them. They fear that if she once takes her place as a powerful and warlike nation, she will no longer allow Europe to tell her what to do.

For several days after the first disaster to the Greek army, the Powers expected that Greece would apply to them for help, so they declared that they would certainly give her no assistance unless she withdrew her army from Crete.

Greece, however, did not ask for help.

The Powers then turned their attention to Turkey. But Turkey had tasted the sweets of victory, and bluntly replied that she did not want any interference.

Finally, the only way for the Powers to get their fingers in the pie seemed for them to call a conference to look after the interests of both parties.

This plan was suggested by England, but Emperor William of Germany upset it very quickly by declaring that Greece must withdraw her troops from Crete before any steps are taken, and this Greece will not do.

The general opinion is that all hope for Greece is now over. It is thought that she cannot possibly beat Turkey, and that in the end the Powers will be obliged to interfere to prevent the Turks from overrunning and destroying Greece.

The Greeks themselves do not seem to consider their cause hopeless, and are preparing to continue the struggle.

The army in Thessaly is now under the command of General Smolenski, from whom much is expected, for he is a fine soldier.

The army in Epirus is once more advancing on Janina.

The fleet has so far done little, and people are much disappointed in consequence.

The Admiral in charge has also been changed, and it is to be hoped that the new commanders of both army and navy may do good service for their country.

GENIE H. ROSENFELD

Invention and Discovery.

Every boy who is fond of carpentering will be delighted with the little invention illustrated below.

All boys who are not thoroughly expert joiners know the great difficulties that lie in the way of making partitions neat and workmanlike in appearance.

With this little invention it will be possible to give a neatness and a firmness to corners that few amateurs have been able to attain.

This patent is a small metal clasp which is laid over the joint and pressed firmly on every side of it.

It is easily applied, and should be used by all carpenters.

* * * * *

This attachment for bicycles seems to be a very useful and sensible one.

It is intended for use on newspaper routes, and is made with a wire attachment over the front wheel in which the papers can be carried.

Newspaper dealers have to arrange the delivery of the daily papers into routes, much in the same way that the postmen do the letters they carry, and a great many boys are employed to carry these papers about.

It takes a long time to walk over the route, and it would save the newspaper dealers a great deal of time if they could find a better means of delivering their papers, than the employment of so many small boys.

With the newspaper rack for bicycles the dealer himself will be able to do more than half the work, and save himself money, as well as the anxiety lest his boys are not doing their work properly.

G.H.R.

Letters From Our Young Friends.

DEAR EDITOR:

I am glad that the Spaniards have other wars to attend to, so that they will let Cuba alone, and so that Cuba can have a government of its own and have the island of Cuba. I hope that if the Spaniards do not stop fighting Cuba that troops of the United States will go and fight the Spaniards out in a hurry.

My sister takes your GREAT ROUND WORLD, and I have been reading it, and enjoy it very much.

I wish that you would tell us how the flying machine is getting along. Yours truly,

EDITH S. ONEONTA, N.Y., April 17th, 1897.

MY DEAR EDITH:

Up to the time of answering your very welcome letter we have no fresh news of the flying machine. As soon as we hear anything that we are sure is true we will tell you. EDITOR

DEAR EDITOR:

I wish you would get a pattern of the kite. My teacher reads your paper, and I am very interested in the newspaper. We have it in school. I was seven years old on Sunday. Please put this letter in the newspaper. It is the first one I have ever written. Yours truly,

HOWELL G. BALTIMORE, MD.

DEAR HOWELL:

We are very proud to think that the first letter you have ever written has been to us. Please write again--often. If you will look in the last number of THE GREAT ROUND WORLD you will see an answer to Sydney G. about the kite. We told him just where to find the pattern for it. EDITOR.

DEAR EDITOR:

I want to ask you about the great monster, and did they take him to Washington? I am eight years old. Please put my letter in the paper. Good-by. MURRAY W.S.

BALTIMORE, MD., March 23d, 1897.

Mr. Merrill, the Acting Curator of the Smithsonian Institution, has been kind enough to send us the following letter about the monster that was washed ashore on the coast of Florida.

Our young readers should get _The American Naturalist,_ and read the article. EDITOR.

EDITOR OF THE GREAT ROUND WORLD:

In reply to your letter of April 4th, I regret to say that the nature of the animal which was washed ashore on the coast of Florida is still undetermined. Some authorities are inclined to regard the remains as a portion of the head of a whale. On pages 304-307 of the April number of _The American Naturalist_ is a very full discussion of the subject by Professor A.E. Verrill, of Yale College. This may be of interest to you.

Yours respectfully, GEORGE E. MERRILL, Acting Executive Curator. WASHINGTON, April 9th, 1897.

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=MONOGRAMS MONOGRAMS=

Who is Collecting Monograms?

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We have been asked by so many of our boys and girls for monograms, that we have had collections made of some of the prettiest, and can now send them to any address, postage paid, upon receipt of the price.

The safest ways to remit are by registered letter or postal note.

* * * * *

NEW SERIES

Set A, 50 printed in one color 75 cents " B, 25 " " gold, silver, and bronze 75 " " C, 25 embossed in gold, silver, and colors $1.00 Complete set, including all three sets 2.25

Address,

WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON 3 and 5 West 18th Street, New York City

* * * * *

That Rust

ON YOUR WHEEL CAN BE TAKEN OFF IN TWO MINUTES WITH A RAG AND SOME

Great Round World Polisher

PRICE 25 CENTS

FOR SALE BY ALL DEALERS

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EXAMINATIONS

Have you thought of the Relief Maps for examination work? Are you following from day to day the war in the East?

Klemm's Relief Practice Maps

especially adapted to examination work, as they are perfectly free from all political details. Any examination work may be done on them.

For following the Eastern Question use Klemm's Roman Empire, and record each day's events. Small flags attached to pins, and moved on a map as the armies move, keep the details before you in a most helpful way, especially when you use the Relief Maps.

SAMPLE SET, RELIEF MAPS (15), $1.00 SAMPLE ROMAN EMPIRE, - 10 CENTS

WILLIAM BEVERLEY HARISON, - - 5 West 18th Street, N.Y.

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Which Is Your Favorite

_BICYCLE_

You have your choice of any wheel in the market if you send us one hundred regular subscriptions to the

"Great Round World"

Show the paper to your friends, and you will soon find one hundred people who will be glad to subscribe. Send the subscriptions in to us as fast as received, and when the one hundredth, reaches us you can go to ANY dealer YOU choose, buy ANY wheel YOU choose, and we will pay the bill.

Six-months' subscriptions will be counted as one-half, three-months' as one-quarter,

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